Latest Housing Data Reinforces Need for Policies That Support New Home Construction
[ST. PAUL, MINN.] The pace of permits for new housing declined 3 percent in June, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey data released this morning. In June, the number of units permitted was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.367 million, with single-family permits down 2.4 percent month over month. Year-over-year, single-family permits are down 0.2 percent.
“Permits remain lower through the first half of the year, and without a turnaround, we’re looking at a fifth consecutive year of declining homebuilding activity,” said Nick Erickson, executive director of Housing Affordability Institute. “At a time when we need more housing, we’re building fewer and fewer new units. At this pace, it remains uncertain how America can address its housing crisis without drastic intervention”
ACTIVITY: JUNE 2026
Building Permits: Builders received permits for privately owned housing units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.367 million in June. That was 3.0% lower than the revised May pace of 1.410 million and 2.3% below the 1.399 million annual rate recorded in June 2025. Single-family permits declined to an annual rate of 871,000, down 2.4% from the revised 892,000 in May. Permits for buildings with five or more units were issued at an annual rate of 445,000.
Housing Starts: Construction began on privately owned housing units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.427 million in June. That represented a 19.0% increase from the revised May rate of 1.199 million and was 3.5% higher than the 1.379 million pace recorded one year earlier. Single-family starts were essentially unchanged at an annual rate of 895,000, down 0.2% from the revised May figure of 897,000. Starts for buildings with five or more units reached an annual rate of 513,000.
Housing Completions: Privately owned housing completions reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.392 million in June. This was 3.3% higher than the revised May rate of 1.347 million and 1.5% above the 1.372 million annual rate from June 2025. Single-family completions rose to an annual rate of 964,000, an increase of 6.6% from the revised May level of 904,000. Completions in buildings with five or more units were recorded at an annual rate of 413,000.
Source: United States Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey